Parimatch ends Team Spirit partnership

Decision made amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

International better and gaming company Parimatch has announced the termination of its partnership with Russian esports organisation Team Spirit amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The partnership, which started in 2019, has been a considerable success, with Team Spirit having won DotA 2 tournament The International 2021 that saw them win the prize of more than US$18 million whilst having Parimatch serve as their Title Sponsor. 

Parimatch Tech also provides technology solutions to various operators in Russia, which as a result of the decision will now end. Parimatch and Team Spirit most recently had renewed their partnership in January 2022, and a recently released report noted that there had been more than 4 million bets placed on Team Spirit through Parimatch’s platform.

Team Spirit, meanwhile, had relocated their headquarters to Belgrade following Russia’s invasion into Ukraine and have since then started moving all of their employees and teams to Belgrade as well. 

Speaking about the decision, Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports at Parimatch Tech, commented:

“We have no mutual claims because all agreement terms were fulfilled throughout the partnership. But, given the difficulties of operating during the war, we consider this solution the only one possible.”

Nikita Chukalin, Team Spirit’s CEO, added:

“Parimatch was an honest and reliable partner with whom we found a mutual understanding in all situations.

“We are grateful to them for the three years of fruitful work, and this forced separation certainly does not give any pleasure to us. However, we understand the current situation and we part without mutual claims.”

Parimatch recently doubled its financial support for Ukraine from ?30 million to ?60 million (~1m–2m USD) and also limited its partnership with Premier League club Chelsea, whose owner, the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, has been sanctioned by the UK government. 

Parimatch isn’t the first to terminate partnership with Russian esports teams or organisations, with multiple esports organisers such as ESL, BLAST and WePlay Holding having also taken action against Russian players or teams, limiting or banning them from competing in future tournaments.